The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller
Reid Miles Podcasts Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter. Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations. The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance. The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the...
How Simple Beats Can Help Neurodivergent Kids Feel Steadier and Seen
How Rhythm Can Calm the Nervous System and Support Neurodivergent Brains
What if something as simple as rhythm could help with stress, focus, and regulation in ways many people never expect?
In this episode, I sit down with Dori to talk about how drumming became more than music. What started as a childhood love of tapping on everything grew into a science-based wellness tool she now uses with neurodivergent kids, teens, and adults. Along the way, we talk about the moments that almost pulled her away from music, the surprising reason she came back to...
The Curious Storyteller: How Do You Keep Going After Loss Debbie Simmons Has an Honest Answer
What It Really Takes to Keep Going When Life Doesn’t Follow the Plan
What happens when grief, parenting, leadership, and faith all collide in one life story? In this conversation, I sit down with Debbie Simmons to talk about the moments that shaped her most—and the choices that kept her moving when it would’ve been easier to stop.
Debbie’s story doesn’t fit into a neat box. She’s a former engineer, the CEO of Anchor Point, an author, a speaker, and a mother of nine adopted children. Yet what sta...
Autism and Living Abroad Finding Home in Yourself
What Happens to Home, Identity, and Grief When You Build a Life Abroad?
What if starting over in a new country doesn’t just change your address, but brings you face to face with who you really are?
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Parks to talk about living abroad, coming home, and the quiet emotional weight that can come with both. We explore what happens when the life you once wanted turns out to be harder than expected, especially for autistic and neurodivergent people trying to make sense of be...
How to Build Trust With Neurodivergent Kids and the Adults Who Love Them
What Burnout, Trust, and Real Support Look Like for Neurodivergent Kids and Their Families
If you’ve ever wondered what real support actually looks like for a neurodivergent child and their family, this conversation will stay with you.
In this episode, I sit down with Antoinette Elliott to talk about the things many people miss: parent burnout, the quiet signs behind a child’s behavior, and why feeling understood can change everything. We get honest about what families carry, what trust really takes, and why some childcare spaces help children settle while others make things wors...
The Curious Storyteller: How Andrea found her footing again one small win at a time
When Life Stops You Cold: Andrea’s 101 Days in the Hospital and What Came After
One ordinary season turned into a fight for life, and in this conversation, I sit with Andrea as she shares what changed when her body could no longer keep going.
I wanted to tell this story with care because it speaks to something many of us carry quietly: the pressure to keep pushing, even when something feels deeply wrong. Andrea opens up about the medical crisis that led to sepsis, a coma, emergency surgery, and 101 days in the hospital. Yet th...
What We Miss When Autism Is Seen Through Only One Lens
Are We Seeing Autism Clearly, or Through a Lens That Misses the Whole Person?
What if the way I’ve been taught to understand autism is also the thing that keeps me from seeing the full picture?
In this conversation, I sit down with Leila Freschin to talk about a question that doesn’t get asked often enough: when autism is filtered through clinical language, school systems, and service models, what gets lost? We talk about the gap between support on paper and support in real life, why language matters more than many people realize, and...
How One Autism Diagnosis Helped a Mom Find Her Voice
When a Diagnosis Changes Everything: Parenting Autism, Finding Support, and Using Your Voice
What happens when you know something is different, but you still don’t have answers?
In this episode, I sit down with Missy Brown for an honest conversation about parenting a child with autism and ADHD, the fear and confusion that can come before a diagnosis, and what it really feels like when support is thin and judgment is loud.
As we talk, I explore the parts many families live through but don’t always say out loud: long...
The Curious Storyteller: Stuck in Autopilot Here’s Where Real Change Begins
When Life Looks Fine but Feels Empty: How I Talked With Laura Marie About Leaving Autopilot
What if your life looks successful on paper, but deep down it feels numb, routine, and strangely far from you?
In this episode, I sit down with Laura Marie to talk about the quiet kind of disconnection so many people carry for years. We get into what it feels like to keep checking all the right boxes while wondering why joy never seems to stay. If you’ve ever thought, Is this really it?, this conversation will likely hit cl...
From helping ADHD students to finally seeing herself
Late ADHD Diagnosis, Grief, and Rebuilding Life in Small Steps
What happens when the person helping others finally realizes the story is also their own?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Dahl to talk about late ADHD diagnosis, masking, grief, trauma, and what it means to rebuild a life when your brain needs a different kind of support. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human.
We talk about the shock and relief that can come with finally having a name for what you've lived with for years. Then we...
How a late ADHD diagnosis changed the way she works and heals
Late ADHD Diagnosis, Grief, and Rebuilding Life in Small Steps
What happens when the person helping others finally realizes the story is also their own?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Dahl to talk about late ADHD diagnosis, masking, grief, trauma, and what it means to rebuild a life when your brain needs a different kind of support. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human.
We talk about the shock and relief that can come with finally having a name for what you've lived with for...
The Curious Storyteller: When Your Life Looks Fine but Feels Empty Here’s Where to Start
When Life Looks Fine on Paper but Feels Empty Inside
What happens when you do everything “right” and still feel like something is missing? In this conversation, I sit down with Laura Marie to talk about the quiet ache of living on autopilot, chasing productivity, and waking up to the fact that success on paper doesn’t always feel like peace in real life.
Laura shares what changed when she hit midlife, lost her job, and finally had to face the question so many people avoid: Is this really the life I want? We tal...
When Everything Changed After We Finally Had Words for Our Family Story
What Changes When a Whole Family Finally Has the Words for Autism and ADHD?
What happens when years of chaos, guilt, and confusion finally start to make sense?
In this episode, I sit down with Walter and Stephanie Parker for an honest conversation about raising three neurodivergent daughters while also making sense of their own diagnoses. We talk about what life looked like before they had language for autism, ADHD, alexithymia, and rejection sensitivity, and why getting answers changed the way they saw their marriage, parenting, and even themselves.
What stayed with me...
Small Daily Ways to Support Gut Health ADHD and a Busy Nervous System
What If Your Gut, Brain, and Nervous System Have Been Talking All Along?
What if the symptoms you’ve been trying to “fix” are actually messages worth hearing?
In this episode, I sit down with Heather Van Tassel to talk about the gut-brain connection, meditation, concussion recovery, and what it means to understand yourself when your mind and body don’t fit neat boxes. We get into the space between science and lived experience, and why that space matters more than most people realize.
You’ll hear how Heather’s background i...
The Curious Storyteller: From late nights in a Hackspace to a Train Tracker people watch for comfort
Why a Real-Time Train Board Feels So Calming to Watch
What starts as a story about a train board turns into something much bigger: pattern, comfort, design, and the quiet pull of watching a system move in real time.
In this episode, I sit down with Griffin Van Horn, creator of Traintrakr.io, to talk about how a late-night makerspace idea became a product people connect with in ways no one fully expected. We get into the moment the project stopped feeling like an experiment, why simple design can say more than...
From feeling too much to finally making sense of an ADHD mind
What a Late ADHD Diagnosis Can Explain, and What It Can Change
If you’ve ever thought, “Why does my brain work like this?” this conversation will likely hit close to home.
In this episode, I sit down with Jax Crider to talk about what it’s like to live for years without the language for ADHD, and what can happen when that missing piece finally clicks into place. We get into the quiet guilt that can build before diagnosis, the relief that can follow, and why so many adults, especially women, are only now...
The Quiet Relief Many Neurodivergent People Felt in 2020 and Why It Still Matters
What Happens When Neurodivergence, Fatherhood, and Advocacy Collide
What does it cost to stop masking—and what can happen when you finally let people see the real you?
In this episode, I sit down with Dan Roth for an honest conversation about neurodivergence, rejection, work, parenting, and the quiet weight so many of us carry. We talk about what the pandemic changed, why that inner voice can be so hard to settle, and how being openly ADHD shaped the way Dan
rebuilt his life when everything felt uncertain.
Wh...
The Curious Storyteller: You don’t need a lab to think like a scientist and Helen shows why
What the Ocean Is Doing Right Now That Most of Us Never See
When I sat down with Helen Czerski, I wanted to ask a simple question: what are we missing when we look at the ocean? What followed changed the way I think about waves, weather, and our place in the world.
In this episode, I explore how the ocean shapes far more than coastlines. Helen helps me see why it affects climate, rain, and daily life, even if you never live near the sea. She also shares why calling the...
Living in Survival Mode with Autoimmune Illness What Helped Annie Take Her Life Back
What Happens After a Life-Changing Diagnosis? Annie Toro Lopez Shares What Helped Her Find Hope Again
What do you do when your body stops feeling safe, and the people around you can’t fully see what you’re carrying? In this conversation, I sit down with Annie Toro Lopez to talk about diagnosis, grief, trauma, food, and the long road back to trusting your body.
Annie shares what it was like to be diagnosed with lupus in her early 20s, how years of pain and medical fear shaped her life, and what shifted when she deci...
When Your Brain Burns Out by Noon How Structure Can Help You Work With It
When Your Mind Works Differently: Trauma, Leadership, and Finding What Fits
If you’ve ever felt like your brain doesn’t follow the same map as everyone else’s, this conversation will likely hit close to home.
In this episode, I sit down with Blaz Merlot to talk about what it means to move through the world feeling different, and how that can shape the way we lead, work, and understand ourselves. We get into the tension between structure and individuality, why some environments feel calming while others leave us drained, and how trauma...
The Curious Storyteller: Stuck Between Pop and Opera Sonya Shares How She Makes Both Worlds Fit
Finding Your Voice When the Path Doesn’t Make Sense Yet
What happens when your voice belongs to more than one world? In this conversation, I sit down with Sonia Sohn to talk about art, identity, and the strange in-between space where so many creative lives are built.
Sonya is known for her viral performances with Julian the piano player, including the flash mobs that have caught millions of eyes across Europe. But in this episode, I go past the polished videos and into the real story behind the voice.
We...
The Question That Changed How She Saw Her Whole Life
What a Late Autism Diagnosis Can Reveal About ADHD, School, and Self-Understanding
I sat down with Carly Faye to talk about what happens when a late autism diagnosis suddenly puts years of questions into focus.
In this conversation, I explore Carly’s path from educator to functional nutrition practitioner and coach, and how her ADHD and recent autism diagnosis changed the way she sees her past, her work, and herself. We talk about the students she felt drawn to, the school experiences that didn’t quite fit, and the quiet signs that made more...
From denied twice to approved what changed in our SSI case
SSI Pitfalls: What No One Tells You About Disability Benefits (with Former SSA Attorney Spencer)
Fighting for SSI isn’t simple. I’m exposing the hidden hurdles—and how to avoid costly mistakes that put benefits at risk.
I’ve battled Social Security myself, and I know how confusing and exhausting it can feel—especially with autism, ADHD, or other invisible disabilities. In this episode, I sit down with Spencer, a former Social Security attorney who spent 11 years inside the system writing and reviewing disability decisions. Together, we pull back the curtain on why mental...
You’re not broken and here’s how we live like it
Late Diagnosis, Grief, and Growth with AuDHD Coach Jenny Lucas
Late diagnosis can feel like a relief and a gut punch. In this episode, I sit with Jenny Lucas to name both—then move forward.
I talk with Jenny about what the world saw versus what was really happening inside, the moment she heard “autistic” and “ADHD,” and the very real grief that followed. You’ll hear how she began unmasking in small, practical ways, what shifted in her marriage and parenting, and why she chose to become the support she couldn’t find. We also explore h...
Choosing to show up a father’s playbook for Autism at home
When a Dad Chooses to Show Up: Autism, Ego, and the Moment That Changed Everything
We often hear autism stories from moms—today, I sit with a dad who faced denial, checked his ego, and chose to show up for his child.
In this conversation, I open a door many families don’t talk about: what it takes for a father to move from “I’m fine” to “I’m here.” You’ll hear how one moment—unexpected and ordinary—shifted everything. I ask what cracked the armor, how he rebuilt trust at home, and the simple changes tha...
Build self trust the ADHD friendly way one promise at a time
ADHD at Work and at Home: Motivation, Masking, and Real Support with Dr. Saara Haapanen
What happens when an Olympic-level athlete-turned-psychologist maps ADHD from the inside—and shows us what actually helps?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Saara Haapanen to explore ADHD beyond stereotypes. You’ll hear how almost making the Olympics, years of elite sport, and a late ADHD diagnosis shaped her work helping individuals and organizations create environments where neurodivergent people can truly perform. I reveal the key questions I ask to shift shame into self-trust, while Sara shares a simp...
What happened when karate class put AAC on the wall
Non-Speaking Is Not Non-Understanding: Autism-Affirming Inclusion with Amanda Toren
Non-speaking doesn’t mean non-understanding. In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Toren to rethink communication and real inclusion.
Amanda is an autism mom, speech and behavioral therapist, clinical autism specialist, and inclusion specialist who runs an inclusive martial arts academy. Together, we get honest about what belonging looks like beyond words—and what schools and programs often miss.
You’ll hear how Amanda builds autism-affirming environments where communication is a human right, why regulation comes before compliance, and how small wins add up to...
From labels to layers how fiction helped me see my brain
Seeing Ourselves in Fiction: Neurodivergent Characters That Actually Feel Real with Author Luna Westish
Representation isn’t just about labels—it’s about feeling seen. Today, I sit down with debut author Luna Westish to explore how fiction can shift how we understand Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and ourselves.
You’ll hear how Luna wrote a character readers either relate to deeply or find frustrating and why both reactions matter. I reveal the surprising moments that made me rethink labels, we compare “token” characters to fully human ones, and you’ll discover how inner monologue, sensory detail, and ow...
Teach the brain not the behavior simple moves that help today
Executive Function Isn’t Laziness: Rethinking “Motivation,” Shame, and Support with Coach Carrie Bonnet
Executive function isn’t laziness—it’s a brain thing. In this episode, I sit with coach Carrie Bonnet to reframe the struggle.
If you’ve ever wondered why smart kids (and adults) still miss deadlines, lose steam, or freeze at “start,” this conversation will feel like a breath out. I ask Carrie Bonnet—Executive Function Coach, veteran teacher, and adjunct instructor at the University of Portland—what this actually feels like from the inside and what support looks like when we remove shame and le...
Finding creative steadiness after 60 with an AuDHD lens
Late-Diagnosed at 65: Creativity, Compassion, and Coming Home to Yourself with Caroline Carey
I sit down with Caroline Carey, a creative, author, and grandmother who was diagnosed with AuDHD in her mid-60s—and everything started to make sense.
In this conversation, I open up about my own assessment experience while Caroline shares how a “you’re not depressed, you’re overwhelmed” moment changed her path. You’ll discover how she re-framed decades of school struggle, why dance became her nervous system’s anchor, and the unexpected support that finally let her ask for he...
From Diagnosis to Advocacy: How One Mom Built a Supportive World for Her Nonverbal Autistic Child
Dana’s journey into the world of parenting a nonverbal autistic child began with a heavy sense of uncertainty, realizing in a little gym class that her daughter wasn’t meeting the same milestones as the other kids. At first, she tried to brush off her worries, chalking it up to first-time parent nerves and hoping her daughter was just a late bloomer. But those feelings of doubt grew stronger as she watched other children play and interact, while her own daughter struggled to sit up or show interest in toys. The weight of not knowing what the future held...
The Advocate’s Journey: How One Mom Turned IEP Confusion into 15 Years of Special Ed Impact
Support the show via my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AspergersStudio
Vicki’s journey into special education advocacy started not from a classroom or office, but right at her own kitchen table as a mom trying to figure out how to help her son, Luke, who was born with an incredibly rare chromosome disorder. Facing a room full of educators and specialists at Luke’s first IEP meeting, she nodded along while feeling completely lost, overwhelmed, and just hoping she was making the right choices. That moment of confusion and worry stuck with her, fueling a deep need...
The Truth About Neurodivergent Women: Why Acceptance Beats Outgrowing Your Difference
In this episode, you’ll get to hear Laura Zane share her journey as a neurodivergent woman, opening up about what it was like to discover her ADHD later in life and how that shaped her approach to therapy. As someone who’s walked this path herself, Laura really understands the unique challenges you might face with late diagnosis, sensory overload, and anxiety. She talks about how embracing her neurodiversity led her to develop practical, affirming strategies in her work, making her insights super relatable whether you’re seeking support, new ways to handle overwhelm, or just some validation for yo...
From Fog to Focus: 7 Ways AI Empowers Neurodivergent Adults on Bad Brain Days
Karyn Whitaker has turned her own journey with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia into a mission to make life easier for others navigating similar paths. As the founder of Try Harder is BS, she’s all about ditching the old advice that just leads to frustration and burnout. Karyn’s style is refreshingly honest and relatable—she’s been through the messy moments and knows that real solutions come from lived experience, not just textbooks. Drawing on years of personal trial and error, she now helps neurodivergent people and their loved ones find straightforward, practical ways to manage daily ov...
When guidance replaces guesswork a mother and son change the way kids go online
Raising Neurodivergent Kids in a Digital World: What I Wish Every Parent Knew
Online rules are invisible—and for neurodivergent kids, that can be costly. This conversation shows a safer way.
I sit down with Dr. Clark and her son, Chris, to talk about the moment a simple post turned into threats, what that did to their family, and how guidance changed everything. We get real about bullying, anxiety, and the hidden risks most parents don’t see—plus the guardrails that would’ve spared years of pain.
You’ll hear how t...
I learned I was AUDHD at 61 and my life finally made sense
AUDHD Is Its Own Thing: Stephanie Lewis on RSD, Sensory Life, and a Therapy That Doesn’t Rely on Talking
Struggling with therapy that asks you to “talk it out” when words won’t come? This one’s for you.
In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Lewis—retired special education teacher, school psychologist, and coach—who discovered her own autism and ADHD in her 60s. We unpack why AUDHD isn’t just “autism + ADHD,” how that shows up day to day, and why so many of us feel unseen in traditional therapy.
Stephan...
From bullied kid to Aspie clinician and comic finding his voice
Comedy, Genetics, and Autism: A Real-World Guide with Dr. Sam Shay
Can stand-up comedy help autistic adults feel seen—and can genetics make life simpler?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Sam Shay, an autistic functional medicine practitioner and stand-up comic. We talk about sound sensitivity that feels like a “kidney stone in the skull,” why testing beats guessing when you’re exhausted, and how humor can build shared reality when life has felt isolating.
You’ll discover how Dr. Shay uses functional genetics to help autistic adults increase r...
It wasn’t laziness it was ADHD and a new way to work
Late-Diagnosed ADHD, Masking at Work, and Real Self-Advocacy with Samantha Kelly
If you’ve ever asked “Is it me or my brain?” this one’s for you. I sit down with Samantha Kelly to make sense of late diagnosis, masking, and what true accessibility at work can feel like.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Samantha went from a panic attack at the office to becoming a sought-after neurodivergent speaker and coach. We talk about the quiet cost of masking, the myths we carry without knowing, and a simple way to ask for wh...
College felt out of reach until self advocacy changed the map
From “Not College Material” to Advocate: Katie Shelby on Voice, Belonging, and Real Inclusion
Told she wasn’t “college material,” Katie Shelby went anyway—and what she learned can change how we support students.
In this episode of The Neurodiversion Connection, I sit down with Katie Shelby, a paraprofessional from St. Louis living with a language impairment and learning disabilities. She went from being nonverbal in preschool to earning her degree and supporting students with Autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. You’ll hear how one conversation in high school shifted everything, why expectations m...
It Was Never About the Questions
Something has changed.
What started as conversations…
has become something deeper.
Both shows have shifted from asking questions…
to exploring the stories behind them.
Because the most powerful moments aren’t scripted.
They’re lived.
These are stories about:
who we are
how we think
what we struggle with
and what we’re still trying to understand
From neurodivergent experiences to curiosity-driven conversations about life, science, and everything in between…
This isn’t a...
What happened when a child spoke without speaking
Intuitive Communication with Nonverbal Individuals: A 30-Year Exploration
Can intuitive communication help us better support nonverbal people? I sit down with a guest who’s spent 30+ years exploring it.
In this episode, I share the moment that set her work in motion: a horseback therapy session where she says she heard a child who didn’t use spoken language communicate with her. From there, we open up a thoughtful, respectful conversation about what this kind of communication might look like, how she approaches consent and ethics, and where it can sit alongside tools like AAC.
